Alice?
by Fillynes
Summary: After years of battling Alice has awoken. She has many doubts and little time. But after an incident at Rozen manor she is left with many questions and no way to get answers. Later she awakens in an unfamiliar home. A small girl holds Alice's tiny little porcelain hands. Now with limited time Alice has to find her way home and help this new friend along the way!
1. Chapter 1

I waited outside the large oak doors… I had won the Alice game but what had I really achieved? All my sisters are now gone… but they are still here. The Roza mystica was split to make us and now it's whole again are they really gone? What had I really done to deserve the title of "Alice"? Why was Alice more important than the lives of all of my sisters? Suddenly the door opened in front of me and I stood up strait. Father walked forwards, knelt down and held my tiny porcelain hands. "Are you ready my dear?" "Yes father" I said a little stiffly. "Then come with me" he picked me up and took me into the big room. The room itself was large, much too large for my liking. It was well lit by two large colourful windows on one wall of the room. The carpet was a deep red colour and the walls where covered in a plain dark oak panelling. Right at the back there was a very large arrangement of white flowers surrounding a large white… hold on… "Father… is that a dolls case?" "It's very late my daughter… It's time to sleep" he replied calmly. Hinaichigos' memories flashed before my eyes. I didn't want to be lonely. I wanted to stay with father, to get to know him! I didn't want to be shut away again. I didn't want to go to bed… I… I… I jumped out of father's arms and ran out the door and down the hallway, my new white dress kept tearing on odd pieces of furniture and paintings. I didn't know where I was going but I didn't want to go to sleep. Even if I am Alice, even if I am perfect, I can't stay here! The blue and pink roses that had been weaved into my hair fell out and my bonnet flew off so my long brown hair flew back behind me in perfect ringlets. "Wait! Daughter!" father was running after me down the hall way. I knew I couldn't out run him. I opened out my wings and flapped as hard as I could so I could fly away and get more speed. I knocked a lot of vases and paintings over but I didn't care. I had to leave. I've never had to run or fly so fast! Suigintous memories of flying and fighting shot past the lids of my eyes, brilliant blue flashes of light and red colliding as she and Shinku fought. Even with the extra speed from my wings I could feel father catching up, his fingers where just catching at my dress and hair. I couldn't push myself any faster, I have no idea how he was so fast, how was he catching up with me?! Suddenly I heard a yelp from behind me and felt his presence fade. I stopped as quickly as I could and turned round before coming face to face with Barasuishou. More memories appeared and flashed in my mind. I went to run again but Enju was in my way. He walked towards me and knelt down. By now I was dizzy, exhausted and confused. It was clear they were giving me no way to continue and their intentions where clear- to take my place as Alice. I considered my options breathing heavily trying to recover what strength I could. Father was behind Barasuishou blocked by a wall of purple crystals. He had tried to reach me but Bara had cut his hand on the crystals while blocking his path. "Alice! Why are you running?" father yelled, his voice distorted in the crystals "Alice!" "You don't want to be Alice do you?" Enju said calmly "you know, my dear Barasuishou could take the burden for you" I glanced over my shoulder at Barasushou. She was quiet and emotionless, staring me out, trying to intimidate me. It didn't work. I didn't know how she was alive but there was no way I was going to give my sisters away to her. I looked around for an escape. I heard the quiet chimes of Pizzicato, Holie and Berrybell above me whispering to go up. I also heard Lempecka, Meimei and Sui dream above them… I could hear them saying there was a window above me. But if I'd heard them so had Barasuishou. I quickly opened my umbrella and shot myself up on white crystals. Barasuishou was soon after me, but I had the advantage. I knew exactly where the window was and my umbrella would protect me from the glass. If I was going to escape, this was my only chance to escape. The rest of the time was a blur. I remembered crashing through the window and being caught by the artificial spirits catching me and pulling me into the N-field. The way to the N-field closed behind and Laplace's demon caught me. "and that's all I remember before waking up here." I said calmly. Jun was sat across from me, taller than in the memories I had of him… The house was the same as in all of Shinku and Hinaichigos' memories but there were more boxes. They all had words like "Storage" and "junk" or "for new house" on them. The room was very empty apart from his computer, some sewing and Shinkus' old box. At least I think it was Shinkus'… I can't tell the difference anymore. "How much time has passed since the Alice game ended?" I said with tears in my eyes. He didn't respond. He just sat there and looked at me. I couldn't stand it, not one bit. The Jun I knew was able to speak his mind to me, to talk to… He was able to talk to Shinku, not me. I am, and will never be the Shinku he could talk to. I may not have been. I don't even remember which of the dolls I used to be before I awoke as Alice! "Jun… speak to me… please!" I begged and started to cry. "It's been three years." He said withholding all his emotions "a lot has changed… For a start I'm moving out of this place and Nori has a pretty good job now. It's been quiet but…" He didn't seem to be able to finish his sentence. I could tell he was bracing himself. Trying to keep himself from being hurt again… I hadn't thought about how painful it was for him and Megu to see their dolls hurt or… worse… Suddenly I felt myself fading away. I realised I hadn't made a contract and so I had no-where to get my energy from. "Jun" I said quietly "Jun… forgive me…" "What?" He said in shock. "I'm fading Jun… soon…all that will be left will be the doll… I don't have a contract. No energy… no life force… no… I have nothing." "Then make-" "I can't ask you to make a contract with me. One doll was enough of a strain on a human body… let alone seven…" "But-" I put my finger on his lips. "Goodbye Jun" I said smiling before I felt myself fall backwards and fade into the blackness. So here I am. The perfect doll… locked inside the eternal darkness that is sleep… Will you wind? 


	2. Chapter 2- Meet Lilian

Lilians POV

I walked in from school and dumped my bag near the door before slipping my shoes off, my parents where in the kitchen down the hall yelling at each other again.

"I'm home" I said quietly as I could before walking upstairs into the bathroom.  
I started taking the make-up off my face and combed my hair to get the knots out my hair. I got half way down the back when the brush got stuck on something. I pulled the comb out my hair but it was covered in gum.

"Real mature boys" I muttered as I washed and pulled the gum off the comb. I sighed and left the comb on the sink side and started walking to the hallway.

"This is not acceptable!" I heard mum yelling from the kitchen "what is Lilian going to think of a father like you who can't keep a job for a week!"

"At least I get to spend time with my daughter!" Dad shouted back.

I walked into my bedroom and shut the door drowning out all the sounds of their arguments. They don't know that I've heard every single argument they have. Mum gets home a little before me and Dad is often home or is home earlier. I flopped onto my bed and just lay face down into my bed. I lay there for a few minutes.

"I hate this." I muttered and pushed myself back up. As I did I saw something sparkle out the corner of my eye. I found a note on my bedroom window held down by a white gem stone. I peered out the window but (as I should have expected with my room being on the second floor of the house) no one was there. I picked up the stone with immense difficulty because of its weight and put it on my bed breaking a couple of springs…whoops…

I read the note carefully.

"Please, I need your help. I have a friend who is in dire need of a human. All you have to do is answer this question.

Will you wind?

Wind don't wind

Laplace's Demon"

It was obviously a joke. I crumpled up the note and threw it out the window. I shut the window and bolted it shut to make sure this didn't happen again… but as I turned round my whole room was covered in these notes, all identical to each other asking the same question. I put my hand to my mouth. I was too shocked to stay quiet but I knew if I screamed my parents would want to come into my room, which wasn't really a desirable option however odd the situation! I looked around. The only place not covered in this paper was my mirror. I could just see it out the corner of my eye but I was too scared to look because I could see what I thought was a white rabbit in a top hat staring at me from behind the glass.

"It's rude not to answer a question dear girl" he said in a smooth voice.

I was shaking. This couldn't be real, it's not possible. I wanted to scream but I was too scared.

"If you're shaking because you're scared you don't have to be. I won't hurt you." he said again "I just need you to answer the question, depending on your answer I can give you more instructions"

I chanced a glance at him. I was looking at me, smiling but… it wasn't a happy smile. It was a smile to cover up his real emotions. It might have been to reassure me but he seemed to be preoccupied with something else. I started to look away slowly and I dropped my hand from my face. He reached through the mirror and handed me a pen before repeating

"Will you wind?"

I took the pen and went to the nearest paper. I read the paper again and considered my options. Neither made any sense. Wind what exactly?

"Hey… Bunny man" I said to him

"I find that a derogatory term young lady." He replied insulted.

"Whatever" I sighed "what am I winding?"

"Aren't you a fan of surprises?"

"Not particularly"

"Hmm how boring" he paused thinking carefully about his answer "a doll"

"Excuse me?" I looked up confused

"A mechanical doll. She needs to be woken up or she may die"

"How can a doll-"

"Please. Just make your choice." He said restraining himself.

I looked down at the sheet. I had nothing to lose and I couldn't imagine that a mechanical doll would be that dangerous, right? I circled the word "wind" and put the pen down.

"Ok Bunny man. Now wha-" he'd gone "great, just great."

I turned around to get to my bed but I fell flat on my face.

"owwww…" I looked at what I'd fallen over and… There was a big suitcase… box…

Thing.

-Alice POV-

I sat in the darkness the lights of the artificial spirits drifted around me slowly.

"Alice" Laplace's demon said quietly so as to not make me jump as he entered.

"You're late" I muttered "any news?"

"They circled 'don't wind'"

"Dammit!" I yelled as I stood up and slammed my foot down causing white crystals to shoot out the ground "It's been far too long! Why are humans so useless?!"Images of Jun, Tomoe and Megu flashed in my mind again and I started to cry again. I'd given up counting how many times I'd cried since I had fallen into the darkness. Most of the time it was just because I missed he humans I had known… other times it was just from loneliness. Laplace's demon was away a lot trying to find a human to wake me up so I was alone a lot. Yes I was with artificial spirits but they weren't very good conversationalists.

Wiping away my tears I looked around and Laplace's demon had gone again. I sighed and sat back on the floor again.

Sometime passed… he wasn't back yet and he had been gone for longer than usual. At least I think he had. There's no way to pass the time in the darkness apart from the pulsing lights of the artificial spirits and they only lasted about three point five nine seconds… Then… I heard my box click open.

"We finally found one to wind Alice" Laplace's demon ran in and showed me what was happening in the humans world. A young girl, no older than fourteen, with shoulder length blonde hair that curled at the ends was opening my case. She was wearing a school uniform but it didn't look anything like Tomoe or Juns. She was sat in a small light green room. There were book cases on two of the walls filled with various text books, story books and a couple of manga books in the case nearest the door. A small window was opposite the door and a bed was on the left hand side of the room with a table and laptop on the other. She prised the lid open slowly and picked up my porcelain body. She turned me slightly, inspecting me. She then picked up the key and gave it three light turns and then…

I was awake again.


	3. Chapter 3- Father?

Chapter 3

-Lillian pov-

I turned the key in the back of the doll and it slowly creaked to life. It was a little… disappointing… considering everything that had happened before I was expecting more… like… In all honesty I don't know what I WAS expecting but this was not it.

"Could you please put me down?" a small voice said

I looked around startled but no-one else was here. Holding the doll in one arm I went to the widow again and looked around.

"No-one's out there" the voice came again

"Well where are you? Who are you?" I looked to the mirror and put to my hand to the glass "are you in here? Woa-" as I said this I nearly fell through the glass.

"Honestly… humans are so stupid sometimes" The voice said, it was close "you can't even hold a doll right!"

I looked down at the doll in my arms and it was looking back at me. I gasped and fell backwards dropping it in the process. She landed lightly and turned to face me. Her light green eyes looked at me indignantly.

"Now really is that anyway to treat a lady?" she said quietly

"But- but- but… You're a doll!"

"I'm not just a doll. I am a Rozen maiden. Alice Rozen to be quite precise!"

"A rose what now?" I replied still very confused. She walked towards me and leant close to my face.

"Are you deaf? RO, like a line, ZEN like the Buddhist discipline-"

"I'm not dumb! You don't need to spell it out for me that much!"

"Then stop acting dumb!" wow she's bossy "and listen when I am speaking!"

"Fine fine just stop yelling!"

"Why should I?"

"Lillian? Sweety?" mum was at the door "Is everything ok in there? "

"I'm fine mum! Just watching some videos!" I said hastily so she'd go away.

-Fathers POV-

It was dark and cold… Enju had locked me in the room I had made for Alice. The once bright and warm room had had any and all fixings and furniture ripped out and the windows had been shattered with Barasuishous crystals. I sat on the floor quietly and waited for Enju to come in and taunt me again. About how I'd lost the one thing I actually cared about and how she hated being my creation. I had to stay strong. I knew the Alice game wasn't something the maidens enjoyed but it felt like a necessary step… Was I really so wrong to make my dolls fight?

As I was debating this Enju waltz through the door with a smug look on his face. Following behind him quietly was Barasuishou with a cold expression on her face.

"Rozen! How's the breeze treating you?" Enju merrily laughed

"Enju you know I have no taste for the cold. Now why are you in such an unusually happy mood?"

"Ah, sorry! I let my usually calm demeanour slip." He cleared his throat. He was obviously mocking me.

As our conversation continued I could see Barasuishou setting up seeds for crystals by one of the broken windows. If I remember right this made it easier for her to create a large amount of special crystals that showed the view of whatever dimension she chose. I gave the same ability to my seventh doll Kirakishou… however she did not need the seeds for it. This thought made me smirk, just the fact that I could have one up on Enju was enough to keep me sane until Alice got back.

"Are you even listening Rozen?!" Enju said quickly trying to keep his anger restrained… and failing rather spectacularly.

"Yes I am but to be honest you are quite boring. I'm meant to be the teacher remember, you are my apprentice"

"Ah! That is where you are wrong! Behold Rozen, your precious Alice!" As he said this Barasuishou created the crystals and they showed a picture of Alice and a small blonde girl in a cluttered green room. Alice was giving instructions and the blonde girl was arguing. My eyes widened as the scene unfolded. A sound caught their attention. The girl panicked holding her finger to her lips and tried to pull Alice into her box. Of course the Shinku and Hinaichigo in Alice refused as she jumped out the way and insisted on hiding outside the window. The blonde girl tried to grab her but Alice used her wings to jump up and fly over her before pulling at the latch on the window. The images paused and Enju turned to me again, visibly pleased with the reaction he got.

"Am I still boring?" Enju said calmly.

"Where… where is that?" I said trying to stay calm but however hard I tried I couldn't keep the nervousness and anger still inside me!

"Well… I would tell you… but how boring would that be?" Enju replied smirking

"You…" I took some deep breaths to steady myself and stood up "Tell me where my daughter is."

"She's in a green room-" Enju said mockingly. I grabbed the material of his shirt around his neck and lifted him slightly

"Enju I am not dumb now tell me where-"

"Father?" a small voice came from the door way.

There, in a small pink dress with a big pink bow on her head was…

"Hinaichigo?!" Enju said obviously confused

"Father? Where am I?" Hinaichigo said timidly "why are they here? Wha-" before she could finish Barasuishou had leapt at her and had restrained her.

"Get off of her!" I shouted as I ran towards them. Enju grabbed at the back of my jacket and pulled me backwards pulling himself forwards to get faster than me.

-Barasuishou pov-

I had pinned Hinaichigo down by the shoulder and knee joints. It was clear from her dazed and confused face she had only just woken up from a sleep. But she wasn't meant to be awake or asleep at all. She had lost the Alice game to Kirakishou and had given her Rozen Mystica to Shinku.

"Please! Stop! I just want to see father!" she tried to get out my grasp as she struggled to get free "father help!"

I pulled a dome of large crystals up around us so father couldn't get to us… It also meant I could get off of the screaming brat and give my joints a rest…

I had been creaking ever since Enju woke me up to kidnap Alice… I must not be used to sleeping for so long… I'm still very tired and really I'm not up to full strength. If I was I would have found a better way to restrain Hinaichigo.

Hinaichigo ran to the wall of crystals nearest to Enju and Rozen.

"Father!" she cried "father! Can you hear me?!"

"This crystal is thick enough to distort voices…" I said a little out of breath "they can hear you… just…"

She turned to me looking as if she was about to cry.

"why am I here?" She said tearfully

"I was about to ask you the same question" I replied now rather annoyed "look… I'll make you a deal."

She looked at me hesitantly as I moved the image of the green room from the special crystals to the inside of these crystals and let the images play.

-Alice's POV-

The latch on the window was old and rusty. Of course as I still don't have a source of power I wasn't able to open it without waiting huge amounts of energy.

"Just hide under the bed!" the blonde girl whispered

"Why must I hide from your mother again?" I hastily replied

"Are you crazy?! Any sane person would freak out at the sight of a moving talking doll! Let alone one with a thought pattern!"

"Thanks! At least I have something most humans don't'!"

"The ability to terrify a human?"

"No! A recognisable thought pattern!"

"Sweetie?" her mother called from the door again as the girl pushed my box under her bed "listen, I'm coming in!" as she said this, the door was pushed open a bit. I had no more time to argue. I dove under the bed and closed my wings.

"Hi mum" the girl said as she put a small white rectangle on the floor (I assumed it is what Tomoe had called a "phone") and pulled herself of the floor.

"Lillian" at least I have a name for the girl at this point "what on earth were those strange noises?"

"I told you mum I was watching a video on you-" my attention was taken away from the conversation at hand when I saw a Detective Kunkun magazine next to my box. I slowly reached for the magazine so my dress didn't rustle. I pulled it next to me and turned so it was in front of me.

"I don't know what's so appealing about watching about watching people play games online!"

"Mum you wouldn't understand it's not just a game it's pok-" I couldn't bear listening to such a trivial conversation so I flicked through the pages of the magazine quietly. So much had changed since Shink and Suisesuki had last watched Detective Kunkun! It was now being rebooted after about five years of not airing and incredible amounts of effort where being put in to make sure it was as near to the original plot as possible… fascinating.

During this time of my reading and the argument that had broken out between Lillian and her mother I started feeling drained… something was different and I just couldn't put my finger in it…

-Lillian POV-

By the time the doll had managed to dive under my bed mu had barged her way into my room.

"Hi mum" I said and put my phone down as if I had been looking at it.

"Lillian what on earth were those strange noises?"

"I told you mum I was watching a video on you-"

"What was the video about?"

"Why do you want to know?" I said this and felt one of my magazines brush over the tips of my fingers… apparently the doll had gotten bored of our talking.

"I'm just worried because of the amount of strange noises I heard."

"Mum you don't need to worry. I was watching someone play a game"

"I don't know what's so appealing about watching about watching people play games online!"

"Mum you wouldn't understand it's not just a game it's pok-"

"Listen I don't care what game it is! It's complete and under nonsense and it's rotting your brain!"

"Then why have you bought me every game in the series?"

"If I've bought you every game in the series why do you need to watch someone play it online?"

"Because their funny! It's a good laugh!"

"Well stop it! It's a waste of time and-" I'd had enough of hearing this. I walked out the room and into the bathroom. Mu was banging on the door demanding I come out and talk to her. I wasn't going to budge. I spent all evening sat in the bath reading a gaming magazine dad had bought ages ago. I didn't even come out for dinner. Dad started to beg and plead and of course this started an argument between him and Mum.

I eventually came out about midnight. Dad had left my food outside the door so I took it into my room and ate it. I went to sleep in my school cloths and set my alarm for half an hour earlier…

It was only when my head hit the pillow did I remember the gum in my hair.


	4. Chapter 4- Gum?

-Alices POV-

Lillian had gotten to bed about midnight. She seemed rather upset; I'd heard her parents shouting at each other and her. I realised that there might be more to this family conflict than I had originally anticipated… I silently watched her from the mirror until she fell asleep. I couldn't stay in my box tonight…Berry bell had flown off while I was reading under Lillian's bed. I knew I would wind down without sleep but I had to find out where Berrybell had gone.

I flew around the N-field for most of the night looking for any trace of her. Eventually I had to give up. Lillian would awaken soon and if she was disagreeable during the day I would hate to see her in the morning just after she had woken up. I flew back through the mirror and gently landed on the floor. Lillian had her back to me; a strange pink substance was in her hair. I walked over and felt it, it was incredibly sticky. Her sleeping with it in her hair had covered most of the bottom of her hair. Since there was no other plausible way to get this substance out I summoned Sousesukis scissors and cut around the area covered in the sticky substance.

"I'll have to do the rest when you wake up" I murmured

"Do what?" Lillian said as she rolled over to face me yawning.

"Removing the sticky thing from your hair. Now sit up straight, your hair is a mess."

"Isn't everyone's when they wake up?" she yawned again as she sat up

"Shush, I need to concentrate" I said quickly. I started straitening the edges of her hair cutting the once long hair into a medium length bob. "This may take some time to get used to" I said as I focused on pulling the messy mop of hair into a plait at the back of her head.

"What time is it?" she asked. I looked at the small digital alarm clock on her bedside, the digits read five thirty five. A small bell picture in the corner of the rectangular display had the numbers six forty five next to it.

"Nearly an hour before you have to wake up, but I suggest you get ready anyway"

"Why?" she replied slightly irritated.

"I'm assuming you and your parents don't have the best of relationships. If you get up now you can be ready, check you haven't forgotten anything and cook a meal you like a lot to take with you as a pick me up." I said as I tied off the end of the plait with a ribbon I had found in the magazine. "sorry it's so short"

"So short…?" she put her hand to the end of the plait and looked around almost in a panic as she saw the layers of sticky hair around her. She turned to me and I fully expected her to start yelling at me… She instead wrapped her arms round me and hugged me tight whispering "thank you"

"Th- this is a bit of an over-reaction isn't it?" I said a bit embarrassed

"Sorry… I was worried I wasn't going to be able to get it out" she said quietly "Mum wasn't going to cut it out after yesterday"

"She's your mother, I'm sure she would have"

"She would have been in a bad enough mood to have made a botch job of it and just-"

"Look, if you want to go make your pick-me up lunch I suggest you stop waffling and go cook. I'll clear up the mess" Lillian looked up at me and let stopped hugging me.

"Thanks… um"

"My name is Alice if you're about to ask. Now off you pop" Soususekis scissors disappeared and I used Shinkus rose petals to wake up a teddy bear sat on Lillians desk "sorry to wake you up"

"That's fine" Lillian said with a yawn

"I was talking to the bear" I said as the bear and I started picking up pieces of sticky hair and throwing them in the bin.

-Lillian POV-

I packed my bag and changed into my school uniform before running into the bathroom to put on my makeup etc. By the time I had finished that my alarm was going off in my room. I ran in and shut it off. Alice had pulled her case out from under the bed and was climbing into it holding my teddy bear.

"What are you doing?" I asked

"I'm going to bed, I didn't sleep well at all last night…"

"With a teddy bear?"

"I get lonely" she said closing the lid down slowly but before she locked the case she said a quiet "have a good day". She was actually kinda cute when she wasn't bossing me around.

I hurried downstairs and started brewing some green tea. I made a bento with my favourite ingredients in it including sausage octopi before grabbing a chocolate Taiyaki and pudding pot out the fridge. By then my tea had brewed and I had enough time to fry an egg and make some toast. I sat down to eat my food when mum ran into the kitchen rather late.

"Ok what do you want for lunch dear?" she said flustered

"I've made my own mum" I said taking mouthful of egg on toast

"Haha very funny. Why are all these pans out?"

"I told you, I've just finished making my lunch"

"sweetie" she turned to me with a tired and exasperated look on her face "I've never seen you make egg on toast let alone" she stopped talking when she realised I was eating a half decent breakfast with a fully made bento box in front of me. She tried to speak a couple of times but couldn't seem to find the words to say. I couldn't handle the awkward air so I picked up my food and bag, downed my tea and took my toast with me. I shut the door behind me and walked down the road towards the train crossing.

-Barasuishou POV-

The rest of the images where rather boring… The girl went to a large building full of people and was talked to for the rest of the day in a room of people. I had already seen when Hinaichigo had supposedly left Alice. The supposedly perfect girl had been so engrossed in her reading under the bed that Hinaichigos Rosa mystica had split from Alice un-noticed… Which is meant to be impossible. How the weakest of the sisters had managed to break away from Alice was beyond me let alone without Alice even noticing!

"FATHER!" Hinaichigo was still yelling. Enju had given up trying to stop Rozen who was currently kneelt in front of the dome of crystals… which to my annoyance was weakening at the same rate I was. I gave in and let Hinaichigo go to father. I was at the point of exhaustion and had no tolerance for the imps screams. She ran to him and cried into his arms. They stayed like that for an unbearable amount of time.


	5. Chapter 5- Blue lightning

-Barasuishou POV-

I was far too weak to break Rozen and Hinaichigo apart… actually I was getting to the point of being too weak to stand. Enju hadn't made a contract with me yet… He said it would be quick and I needn't be up long… obviously it was taking longer than he thought and quite frankly it was starting to get on my nerves. By that I didn't mean being awake was getting on my nerves but his blatant disregard for me! Before he had at least tried to care but now he doesn't even attempt to fake his intentions. He is more concerned with getting his revenge on Rozen.

With these last thoughts I blacked out, I fell into the darkness again. I sat there impatiently for what felt like an eternity waiting for Enju to wind me up again. I steadied myself for what could be a very long wait. My artificial spirit had gotten lost in the N-field when we were chasing after Alice and she never returned. I miss her but Enju hadn't allowed for me to go and look for her because he needed me… or so he said he did. I sat thinking like this for a long time. Then…

"Hey" came a voice "you don't look so good" I looked up and saw a familiar face.

"Souseiseki?"

"Yep."

"what are you doing here?"

"I'm not entirely sure. My Rosa mystica was ejected from Alice and now until it finds a body I guess I'm in here" I sat there speechless… but… I was secretly very happy… even if we were stuck together unwilling I had some company.

"So… what do you do to pass the time here?" She said awkwardly

"…not much…" I said quietly "Normally my artificial spirit is here so I talk to her… but she's lost in the N-field…" I said tearing up a little. I pulled my knees up to my chest and sat there sniffling. I expected her to just sit there… I was pitiful in this state but she did something quite unexpected. I felt her place her cape around my shoulders.

"It's cold. It's not good to be cold when you're upset" It made no sense but I didn't mind, it was nice someone was caring for once.

-Rozen POV-

The dome of crystals melted away and Hinaichigo ran to me. She was crying a lot so I held her close to comfort her.

"I- I don't know how I g- got here! I- I was so sc- scared" she sniffled and cried more and I held her tighter. I suddenly heard a weight hit the floor. I looked up and Barasuishou had feinted. The only clue that she had been awake was the crystals with the images still playing on them. Enju ran to her and picked her up.

"Bara? Bara?!" he called, no response "can you hear me?"

"You didn't make a contract with her?!" I said stunned

"This wasn't meant to take so long!" he shouted at me clutching the lifeless doll in his hands

"Father?" Hinaichigo said quietly "is she dead?"

"No my dear" I said calmly "she's just very tired" Enju was holding the doll tight to his chest pleading with her to wake up

"Just wind her up again Enju" I said exasperated

"I lost her key" he said worriedly

"then you should have made a contract"

"Shut up about the stupid contracts!" Enju screamed back at me

There was a lull. The only sounds in the room where the movements of the dolls dresses and joints. Then a loud and awful shriek filled the room. Everyone's attention went to the images on the crystals. It was Alice. She was knelt on the floor facing the mirror with her hands stretched out screaming, blue lightning surrounded her hands and her eyes where the same shade of blue. Then a rosa mystica ejected itself from Alice and flew through the mirror. I immediately looked to Enju

"What have you done to her?!" I shouted

"I didn't do anything to her" he shouted back "it's your fault!" I sat there stunned. It wasn't possible that my perfect design had an imperfection. No way. "The Rosa mysticas aren't stable enough to stay together as Alice for the amount of time she's been awake without a contract. To be honest even with a contract it would still decay." I sat there holding Hina. I was on the verge of tears. Was there no way to have my perfect daughter without sending her into immense amounts of pain?

"Father? Are you ok?" Hinaichigo said quietly

"Enju… If the Rosa mystica are unstable… then why does Barasuishou want to become Alice?"

"Because an extra source of power could make Alice stable. Bara would become part of the strongest doll."

"You're lying" I said bitterly

"Why would I lie when Bara is asleep and I can't wake her up?" he had a point… he had nothing to lose or gain from this.

All we could do was hold our dolls and wait for something more to happen in the pictures.

-Lillian POV-

I walked into my room and threw my bag by my bed. Alice was sat on her box holding the teddy bear.

"So how was your day?" I said nonchalantly trying to find my phone in my bag, it was somewhere in there… but there was no response. No a peep from Alice. I turned to her saying "you know I was expecting you to chide me for-" I stopped dead. She was sat, motionless, staring at the mirror clutching the bear as hard as she could. "Alice? Is everything ok?"

"I'm… I'm in pain…"

"Pardon?" she turned to me and her eyes… where electric blue. She had lightning dancing round her hands and she had the most terrified face. It scared me.

"Lillian… please… it hurts…" Her voice was morphing into different tones and accents… the strongest being a lower tone, a boyish tone. It terrified me so much.

"What… what should I do?" her head moved to face the mirror again "Alice… please I'm scared."

"Shut the door" she said quickly in a higher pretty tone. I obeyed and locked my door "Demon!" she shouted in an airy voice. At this the rabbit man jumped out and bowed low.

"Rabbit. Lock off this room, her parents are not to disturb us. If they do I swear I will turn your hide into bunny slippers." Alice spoke in a low commanding tone.

"Yes Alice." With that the bunny man flicked his fingers and the rooms turned a pink tone. He merged through it and went back into the mirror only to disappear again.

Alice put the teddy down on her box and knelt in front of the mirror.

"I'll be ok possibly… Just please… stand back maybe?" Alice's voice fluctuated between the tomboy tone and a light playful tone. She opened up her arms as lightning flashed around her and she let out the shrillest scream I'd ever heard. The light was blinding so I covered my eyes… I didn't see what happened. When it was over I opened my eyes and Alice was lying on the ground with smoke all around her. I went over to her and picked her up. The Roses that had been woven into her hair had been shrivelled up and burned. All hints of blue and pink had disappeared from her outfit as well. I couldn't do anything… apart from hold her.

The rabbit came back through the mirror and produced a key. The same one that I had used to wind up Alice. He gave it to me and said

"Look after her. I'm off to find her father" before disappearing into the mirror.

I put the key in her back and wound her up again. She jerked and moved a little but didn't wake up again… I laid her on my bed and tried again… still nothing. I decided to try one last time before giving up…

Suddenly before I could a soft small hand took my finger. I turned to see another doll… except she was blonde wearing a pink dress with a big pink bow on her head.

Who was she?


	6. Chapter 6- what's going on Hina?

-Lillian pov-

It was very quiet. The pink doll was sat on Alice's box holding the teddy bear. She swung her legs like a kid would and looked up at the walls and ceiling. It was getting very awkward and the silence was becoming unbearable for me… I was also really worried for Alice. I checked my phone clock for what felt like the one hundredth time. It had been two hours since I put Alice in her box.

"Where's Jun-kun?" the pink doll finally said

"Who?" I replied a little confused

"We're in Jun's house. This is the same house we lived in for the last Alice game." She said cheerfully. I sat there speechless. I had no idea how to answer something like this.

"Ok… I'm not following. For starters who's Jun and secondly what on earth is an Alice game?"

"The Alice game is how Alice was made." I started at her still bewildered "Originally there were seven dolls made by a man called Rozen, we call him father, in his attempt to make Alice, his perfect doll. He decided the best way to find the perfect one would be to have the sisters fight amongst each other until one was left. She would be pronounced as Alice and would therefore win the Alice game thus becoming Alice." She made it sound so easy to digest… but really it was a horrible thought. A father making his seven daughters fight each other just to make something he considered perfect just sounded nuts. It was bad enough for me when me and my parents fight, I can't imagine having to fight and maybe kill all my sisters!

"So… you get woken up… and then you fight… am I following?"

"Yes. But we need humans to wake us up and give us energy."

"Wait, wait, wait." I interrupted "so Alice has been taking me energy?" The small doll held up my hands and looked along all my fingers.

"Nope"

"Huh?"

"You never made a contract with her so she hasn't been taking your energy."

"A contract?"

-Laplace's demon pov-

"I do apologize for Lillian's lack of knowledge but she hasn't been part of the Rozen maiden universe for long and Hinaichigo does have a rather interesting way of explaining these things... I promise we'll get back to her main story soon. While Hinaichigo is explaining why don't we check in on Barasuishou and Souseiseki hm?"

-Barasuishou pov-

We had been talking in the darkness for a long time. I didn't have much to say but she had a lot of stories about her sisters. They were fascinating. When Enju had entered me into the Alice game I never got a chance to meet any of these dolls. I never got to see their characters when they weren't fighting. I'd always assumed Hinaichigo and Kanaria were the weakest individuals. Turns out they were stronger than I thought. I never knew Hinaichigo had been abandoned and Kanaria was incredibly smart when she used her mind in the right way. Shinku who I considered my rival was incredibly kind and cared deeply for all her sisters. I had a deep feeling of regret. I never meant to make any of them suffer or hurt, I never meant to make their masters upset. I just wanted to make Enju happy. I never realized what kind of pain I could have been causing. Souseiseki herself seemed to be far more mature than I had ever given her credit for.

"So what do you do when you're not fighting?" she asked me

"I… um…" I sat there thinking. Enju had never really let me leave the shop apart from to fight. "I… I sometimes go into the N-field for a while" I said quickly. I tried to think of something else to say. I kept opening and closing my mouth like a goldfish.

"When we get out of here…" Souseiseki said slowly "would you like to spend some time with us?" I stared at her for a short while I could feel my eyes filling with tears but… I knew this couldn't happen. They would never forgive me for the things I'd done to them all. Especially not Suigintou and Shinku. I looked away from the doll I had started to think of as a friend. But when I looked up to give her my answer, she had disappeared taking the cape she had leant me with her.

So I was once again l'm left in the darkness alone with my fears and thoughts.

-Hinaichigos pov-

The silence had been so thick you could have cut at it with a knife. Enju had put Barasuishou down on the ground propped up by the special crystals. I had let go of father and ran out the room. I could hear father calling behind me pleading for me to come back. I had passed an entrance to the N-field while I was walking round. I skidded as I turned the corner of the long hallway and nearly ran into Souseiseki.

"Laplace's demon is waiting for you in the N-field. Alice has ejected me and is likely to eject either Suiseiseki or Kanaria next." Souseiseki said quickly as she grabbed my shoulders to steady me

"I'm going to help" I said tearilly

"I know" she replied gently "but are you sure you're up for it? This is a really really important job."

"I can do it… Hina knows she can do it…"

"Ok…" Souseisuki suddenly felt up her sleeve "what the…" and produced a key

"Whos is that?" I asked

"I don't know… but we don't have time to work this out. Hurry" Souseiseki nearly threw me through the portal where I was caught by Laplace's demon who took me to the door where Alice was.

-Lillian's pov-

After a long explanation I finally felt like I understood what the small pink doll meant. She explained not only about the Alice game but also apparently this house was the same house an old master of hers- Jun Sakurada- had lived a long time ago. Just when I thought I had understood it all I suddenly remembered something. I grabbed my bag that had been lying by my bed and riffled around until I found a piece of paper listing my teachers names for parents evening in it (oh yeah I should probably have given this to my parents). I scrolled down the seemingly endless list of names until I found the one I was looking for.

"You said Jun had a sister right? Nori?"

"Yes that's right" the pink doll replied "why?"

"Well… I know Nori"

"You do you do?" the small pink doll sprang off the box and bounded up to me "wait… how?"

"She's one of my teachers. Actually she's my homeroom teacher!"

"Really?!" said the excitable small doll

"Yep. Parents evening is tomorrow night so if you want to come with me you'll have to sneak in my bag"

"Wait, you'd actually let me sneak in with you?"

"Well I want some answers about all this. If I can convince Sakurada-sensei to bring in her brother then we might get some"

"Or you could come with me to see Rozen" the small doll said cautiously. I looked at her stunned. If I had known I could have just gone to see him she could have saved me all this confusion!

"I don't believe that would be wise" a voice came from the mirror, but no-one was there "I'm guessing you can hear me"

"ye-yes we can hear you" I replied. I was shocked but honestly how I wasn't used to this by now was beyond me.

"Good. I am one of the seven Rozen maidens, Souseiseki. I can see you've already met my sister Hinaichigo." I looked to the small pink doll and back to the mirror

"How can you see us when we can't see you?"

"I can't explain that right now there just isn't time. Take Alice to Jun. Shinku was once in a similar state. He should be able to help you. But be careful she is in a delicate state and could reject another Rosa mystica at any moment!"

"O- ok!"

"Souseiseki! Is father ok?" Hinaichigo asked

"I'm fine I'm right here" a man replied

"Thank goodness" Hinaichigo sighed

"What should I do with her now?" I asked quickly

"Keep her in her box. Alice may be perfect but she is also very fragile. Keep her safe until you see Jun" he replied "In the meantime Laplace's demon will be with you to help."

"Laplace's de… oh the bunny man!"

"Yes… I guess you could call him tha-" It was like a phone call had gotten disconnected. We couldn't hear them anymore and no matter how much we tried we couldn't get through the mirror.

What on earth just happened?

-Barasuishou pov-

I lay in the darkness waiting for something… anything to happen… I just wanted to get out. I wanted to see Souseiseki again… I wanted to talk more…

Why did she have to leave me?


	7. Chapter 7- reunited

-Nori pov-

I woke up from unsettled sleep and slowly made my way out of bed. I walked into the bathroom and splashed some water on my face. I looked in the mirror at the tired circles under my eyes, maybe I shouldn't have tried to finish all of that marking in one night, I could have done some later this evening!

Walking back into my bedroom I changed out of my night clothes and checked my phone for messages. The little red email icon blinked at me slowly, it was from one of my students. I opened it and read the contents slowly so my tired mind could make sense of the cacophony of words and symbols on the screen

"Ok, this is going to sound really weird but would you be able to bring your brother to parents evening? I have something that he might be interested in.

Lillian-home room 3B"

Attached to the email where five pictures. By now I had managed to drag myself into the kitchen and had started making myself breakfast and lunch. I sat down to start eating my breakfast and opened the pictures on the email. I nearly choked on my food as I saw my student Lillian with Hinaichigo sat on a bed with another doll behind them. The photo was named "Me Hina and Alice". I looked through the others. Three where showing the other doll who I assumed to be Alice from various perspectives. The last photo was of Hina holding a sign saying

"Hi Nori!

I missed you and Jun but I'm awake now!

See you soon!" written in crayon and glitter. I quit out of the pictures and called Jun.

"Hello?" he said groggily as he answered his phone

"H-hi Jun! It's Nori. Sorry to wake you up but this is very important!" he stretched and groaned slightly on the other end of the line "Hina's back"

"Hina who?"

"Hinaichigo!" there was silence between us

"This better not be a joke" Jun finally growled down the phone.

"It's not Jun I promise! Her medium is bringing her to parents evening and she wants you to be there. Can you make it?" more silence "Jun?"

"When is it?"

"Next Tuesday"

"… I think I can make it."

"Great! I'll see you then I guess"

"Yeah, see you then"

"Bye Jun!" I hung up the phone and let out a small excited squeal. I hadn't seen Jun in about a month, we had both been very busy. I had recently been given a lot of marking to do as some teachers where rather ill. Jun had been promoted at the book store (although ever since the two-world-Juns incident he had been worried about working there!) so he had more work than ever to do. I checked in on him from time to time but had accepted that he had grown up enough for me to not have to check he was wearing clean underwear every day. I glanced up at the time and panicked. I grabbed my bag and chucked my phone into it grabbing what was left of my breakfast and ran down the street… forgetting my lunch…

Again.

-Lillians pov-

Since Hinaichigo had gotten here it was getting hard to hide her and Alice from my parents. Alice was calm enough to stay quiet for long enough and was a good hider. Hinaichigo was quite different. She was loud, excitable and hyper. My parents often came into my room asking why I had screamed or something. Which of course I hadn't but Hina had. Her idea of hiding was to dive under my bed covers with her feet sticking out from edges of the duvet. Her only god hiding places where under my bed or (when my parents were too quick)hanging out the window holding onto Alice's case so they didn't see that either. This worked well the first time… but Hina wasn't impressed when it was in the middle of a thunder storm with high winds blowing her about. I managed to find her a spare change of clothes but her old ones had to dry in my closet and trying to speed that process up with my hairdryer went horribly wrong when we found out her tiny cloths could shrink further. We managed to stretch them out again but Hina hasn't fully forgiven me and is trying the silent treatment… She isn't very good at it.

Finally the day of parents evening arrived. Alice still hadn't woken up and I was getting worried about her. I hadn't known her for long but no one else had actually cared enough to help me with my life or school before… Ok getting gum out of my hair wasn't life changing but the fact she cared enough only just having met me was enough for me to want her to wake up. Nori had suggested I bring in the dolls to school so we could look after them without drawing too much attention to them. I woke up at five thirty again so I could get Alice's case out the house without mum and dad noticing. Hina jumped into my bag and held onto my books so she didn't bump about too much or bash into them on the train and break, she was still made out of porcelain no matter how strong she is. I pulled my hair back into a plait again and got dressed into my school uniform. I tiptoed down and walked into the kitchen. But what I saw made me freeze where I stood, shocked and a little scared. Dad was sat on a chair lying across the table surrounded by empty alcohol bottles. I guess mu had had a big go at him and his job hunt wasn't going well. I made breakfast for the two of us and left his on a plate with a note next to him saying "parents evening" on it. He probably wouldn't turn up and mum had to work late tonight so I had to go on my own and pass on any feedback. I grabbed an already done lunch out the fridge and made a second one for Hina and put it into my bag. She clung onto her small bento box and my science book and looked up at me to whisper

"Thank you!" to which I held my finger up to my lips to shush her. Dad groaned and shuffled a little but that didn't stop me. I had a couple of things I needed to get before we left. As well as a small box of sushi rolls I grabbed a can of drink out the cupboard and a bottle of water from next to the sink and snuck out the door.

I had gotten on an early train so no-one was on the same carriage as me. I thought it would be safe enough to open up my bag so Hina could have one last bit of fresh air before being shut up in my bag for the rest of the journey. I unzipped the top of my backpack and her big bow popped out of the bag. She shuffled her head out and pulled herself out.

"You ok in there?"

"Yeah! It's quite squished but Hina can manage" she said cheerily. I smiled at her and opened Alice's case again, hoping beyond hope that Alice might be awake. She wasn't and my heart felt like it should be audibly breaking.

"Tickets please" I looked up in a panic worrying what any normal human would think of a small pink clad doll running about the carriage. To my relief it was Laplace's Demon standing there holding a slightly larger doll dressed in purple.

"Who's that?" I asked cautiously in case he tried to make me look after her as well.

"Her name is Barasuishou. She isn't technically a Rozen maiden but is still what you might call a 'living doll'" he said calmly "Rozen has asked me to look after her for a little while. Just until we find her key, her master was rather careless and lost it a little while ago."

"Even I'm not that careless. I have Alice and Hinaichigos keys right here." I pulled out two keys from my pocket, the one Laplace's demon had given me and the one Hinaichigo had brought with her. The demon simply smiled at me and then disappeared. The announcement said we were nearly at my stop so I coerced Hina back into the bag and zipped it up again.

I got to homeroom nearly an hour before school started. I knocked on the door and walked in. Nori was there but had fallen asleep at her desk, her lacrosse gear spread on the floor. I picked it up and propped it against the wall. I put the box of sushi rolls in front of her (she usually forgot her lunch so I brought her some food today) before opening up the cupboard where Nori had said we could keep Alice in her box.

"Hmm?" Nori stirred at her desk

"Good morning Nori" I said quietly so as not to startle her

"Ah! Hello Lillian!" she said still drowsily "How are you?"

"I'm alright"

"Is this sushi?" I turned around to see her grinning from ear to ear

"I thought you might have forgotten your lunch again"

"heh heh, you know me too well Lillian!" she laughed embarrassedly. I could feel Hina wiggling around in my bag.

"She's rather impatient" I said giggling as I put my bag on Noris desk and opened it up. Immediately Hina tackle hugged Nori knocking her backwards so she and her chair landed on the floor.

"I really really missed you Nori" Hina said quietly

"I missed you too Hina… I missed you too"


	8. Chapter 8-Barasuishou and Lilian

-Barasuishou pov-

I'd been lying on the floor for a very long time. It was cold, dark and rather miserable.

"Hello?" a muffled voice came. I sat bolt upright and looked around. A small light was on one of the nearest walls. I staggered towards it and saw it was a communication link between the darkness and the room where Enju and Rozen where.

"Hello?" I cried desperately

"Bara? Bara is that you?" a familiar voice called through the link

"Yes! Yes it's me Souseiseki!"

"Thank goodness you're ok! I was worried."

"So was I" I said trying not to cry. The wall was suddenly alive with pictures and lights from the room where Enju, Rozen and Souseiseki were. I felt tears roll down my cheeks as I started to realise I wasn't alone. The doll I could call a friend had come to my rescue again. I wanted to tell her how grateful but… Enju was there and knowing him he would take all the praise himself, he probably thought I was crying because he was there. I wiped my eyes on my sleeve and said "how did you get this to work?"

"Laplace's demon knew how to get it to work two ways but refused to explain how it works… that demon was more trouble than he was worth really but listen we have a big problem." I looked Souseiseki in the eyes, they weren't the eyes of the brave girl I had known here, they were full of fear "as well as getting this to work Laplace also locked us in here. He sent Hinaichigo to the world where Alice is as a distraction and brought me here to bait my sister, Suiseiseki. If she falls for it she and the others could be pulled into a huge battle with the Demon himself… Father says he's really rather powerful". Souseiseki was right to be worried. As the referee of the Alice game Laplace had been kept in line by the mere fact the games where happening and that he had a purpose. With the games over he had two choices, become a trickster to hinder Alice and father or start the Alice game again… whichever he was choosing there was no doubt he had the power to do it. "There's another problem Bara…" Souseiseki's voice trembled as she said this. "He stole your body." She looked at me with tears in her eyes "he put Alice's key in my pocket and ran off with your body when I entered the room and father and Enju got distracted… I'm so sorry, it's all my fault…"

"No…" I said quietly "it's not your fault." I said shaking… If Enju didn't have my body it was possible Laplace could use it as leverage to bribe Enju, Souseiseki or even the youngest of the Rozen maidens Kirakishou… If she got rejected from Alice that is. She would need a host body after all.

"You're taking this very well my dear" Enju said from the back of the room looking through a pile of roses and flowers

"That's because I trust you two to get my body back… I just need both of you to promise me something…" I took a deep breath as I knew neither would take this well "If he offers you my body back in return for something you desperately need or makes unreasonable demands… just say no. I don't care what he offers."

"You can't just make us promise something like that!" Souseiseki shouted

"Please… for me…" I said desperately trying to plead with the stubborn doll

"You can't ask us to just abandon you"

"That's exactly what I'm asking you to do." Souseiseki wiped a tear from her eye "please?"

"… ok…"

"thank you…" I sighed a sigh of relief at her answer and turned my attention to Enju "Having fun looking through compost Enju?" I said not even trying to hide any venom in my voice

"ha ha Bara" Enju fake laughed. He seemed like he was about to give a sarcastic response back but stopped himself when he realised that Souseiseki was glaring at him. He went back to searching through the flowers.

"I'm assuming those where from the Demon?"

"Yes Bara, yes they are." Father walked into view of the pictures "He said that he had left something important in there for us to find. It's such a large pile of flowers we are taking turns searching through it so we do not exhaust ourselves.

"It's my turn next. But before I do I have a very important task for you Bara" Souseiseki turned to face me again "as you know each maiden has their own darkness to got to when they sleep. These darknesses can move about and under certain conditions the maiden inside it can control were this darkness drifts to within the dream world."

"Yes I understand that much."

"Well since the Alice game ended the other darknesses have been made stationary all connected to Alice's darkness. Like balloons held together by strings. All of them are connected to Alice… Except for yours as you were not made part of Alice."

"Yes… I understand but what use will this be?"

"You have to find either my twin Suiseiseki or the second doll Kanaria. They are the next two who are the most likely to be ejected from Alice. Find them and tell them whats happening. If you do that you may be able to help them stop themselves from ejecting. They can also keep an eye out for Hinaichigo and Laplace's demon incase anything else happens. I might be able to set up links to talk to them too so we can have as many eyes on the situation as possible! You can help us put this situation right." My eyes widened. I had a chance to at least in part make up for the hurt I had caused them during the Alice game. I stood silent for a moment considering what I said next. I was obviously going to help them… but I have no idea how to move my darkness…

"… I don't know how this will work… but I'm willing to help" I grinned up at Souseiseki and she smiled back as she started talking me through how to move my darkness.

-Lillians pov-

After Hina had been prised off of Nori we agreed Hina would stay with Nori all day hiding under her desk or in her draw (she only just about fit!). It was nearly time for homeroom but I had to go see my maths teacher about some work so I left them to catch up together. Most of the other students had started gathering in the hallways and classrooms and it was getting crowded. I got shoved and moved around a lot. There was finally some more breathing room as I got closer to the Maths block. But before I could get to my maths classroom…

"Oi! Gum girl!" The boys who had stuck gum in my hair appeared "you're gonna be late for homeroom if you don't leave here quickly."

"I've already talked to my teacher and me being tardy or not is none of your business" I said reaching for the door handle of the room. Before I could open it one of the boys grabbed my hair and pulled me away "ow that hurt!"

"Isn't it my role as a fellow student to push you in the right direction?" a small group of girls had also joined the gang. One of the gits grabbed my hair again another boy tugged at my sleeve and they pushed me in the path way of a flight of stairs. The leader of the group who had been talking to me grabbed the neck of my shirt and pulled my face uncomfortably close to his "and I do mean push literally" and with those words he pushed me down the stairs. Time seemed to slow down. I heard the group laughing amongst each other calling names after me. I grabbed my head so I wouldn't get hurt too badly if I hit it on a stair and prayed this was a short flight of stairs. I felt my back and legs land against the stairs and eventually I hit the wall at the back of the stairwell. I was dizzy and struggling to hold onto consciousness after hitting the wall so hard. I managed to pull myself up and run down the corridor. I knew the route from there to get to the gardens out the back of the school. I didn't want to think because my head was filled with their laughing voices. My legs hurt and my back felt like I shouldn't be able to walk let alone run. I eventually managed to get to the door towards the gardens. I bolted through it and ran to the far end of the springtime gardens. There right at the back tucked away in a small area of cherry blossom trees was a pond. I knelt next to it and collapsed onto my side. Out of breath and crying my eyes out I lay there in agony. I had had a weak back as a child and was warned any sudden impacts could paralyse me more easily than other children. So this was about my limit, I was at breaking point and I just wanted to go home. I wanted to curl up in bed and talk to Alice. I wanted this to all go away… I just wanted Alice to be there again for me like she had been before. Alice… why won't you wake up?

"Oh dear… If you had told me this was happening I would have been there to help you sooner" a gentle voice came from the pond. I forced myself up so I could look into the ponds cool water and there, staring back at me, was Alice.


	9. Chapter 9-Lillian's life and a bunny man

-Lillian pov-

I stared into the cold water reflection. I couldn't believe Alice was actually here… except I knew she wasn't. It was just a reflection. Alice's body was inside in Nori's homeroom cupboard.

"Are you hurt?" the reflection said "you look bruised!"

"I was pushed…" was the best I could manage to say before falling into the water. My back wasn't able to support me and I had been leaning forward enough to overbalance and fall in. The reflection swan around me and held my shoulders and back as I hit the bottom of the pond, it was surprisingly deep for a school pond.

"Oh my poor Lillian…" Alice said as she embraced me "you've been so much… but it's all over now" Alice's watery form morphed slowly into Laplace's demon and disappeared. As I reached out to the light in front of me I knew I didn't have the strength to get myself out of the pond, I didn't have the energy to stand when I wasn't supported by water. I realised I should have been floating upwards but it was as if something was pulling me down. As the light streaming into the pond got darkened by the silhouette of someone standing by the pond, I blacked out.

I opened my eyes and looked to my right, there was my mother giving birth to me. As if I was caught in some sort of awful cliché I was watching my life from start to end again. I was born on the eighteenth of October in the year two thousand and five in Ohio America. My mother had named me Lillian because my hair looked white at birth and my mother's mother was called Elizabeth (which apparently Lillian was derived from, I don't see it). My dad worked at a large company and my mother was the CEO of a multi-national corporation. Because of this when I was three we had to move to Japan. Mum didn't mind, it was a new and exciting adventure for me and her but dad had more difficulty adjusting. For one he had to leave the company he had worked at for nearly eighteen years and for another thing he didn't speak a word of Japanese. Mum had a Japanese relative who had taught her some of the basics and I was three so I was able to pick up the language quicker than my parents might have been able to. We moved into the house we live in now which according to Hinaichigo was where her last medium Jun had lived. I grew up learning the Japanese and English language with my parents. Dad would often help me with my language homework, it gave him a chance to learn something's he might have missed. Dad eventually got the hang of the language and started job hunting. His first job was at a food store making foods like sushi and Taiyaki. Unfortunately the store burned down in two thousand and ten. He hasn't been able to hold a job since. Mother kept climbing the company ladder getting promotion after promotion. As for me I went to school like a normal kid. I got alright grades and learned the language quickly. After a while I ran into some difficulties with the kids. Because I was different some of the kids started making fun of me. At first I thought it was just a small group being a bit immature… but that group got bigger and bigger and for some reason the liked to target me. I stood there watching myself receive the same treatment that had haunted my nightmares for years. One of the girls liked to grab my hair and call me names a lot. One time I managed to get away from her iron grip but she threw a ball at my back and knocked me over. But I couldn't get up again. She and the group who picked on me ran scared and a girl in my class ran and got a teacher. I watched as I was taken to hospital by one of the teachers. I sat in the ambulance next to the me who was lying on a stretcher, in pain and unable to move. I had realised two things watching my life back again. 1: contrary to my own beliefs, them bullying me wasn't my fault. It had never been and I shouldn't have thought it was for even one moment. 2: although I am stood here watching myself no-one can see me or hear me. I am just here to watch the events as they unfold. The rest of this day played out like I remembered it… except now I could see something I had never imagined I would see. In every mirror or window or screen I passed there was someone stood there watching me. The first was a girl in black. She had long silver hair and Alice's black wings. She flew through the reflections in the windows following me. The second had green hair in curly bunches wearing a yellow dress. She had the same colour eyes as Alice. She and the first talked across each other before the first disappeared and the second started running through the monitors in the x-ray rooms. The second and third where reflections in two mirrors in the waiting rooms. One wore green holding a watering can and had Alice's hair the other was tomboyish wearing blue holding the scissors Alice had used to cut my hair. I was starting to notice a pattern. On my way through the hospital I had been followed by parts of Alice. No-one else would have noticed because it was such a busy hospital and I was on copious amounts of pain killers so I would have been too drugged up to have seen them. The fifth one was wearing red with a pink cane and long curled blonde hair. Her red bonnet was the same as Alice's. By now the doll in the yellow dress had run all the way through the waiting rooms into the hospital room where I would be staying. It was a small room but it was nice enough. She ran through the screens and jumped into a mirror where Hinaichigo was sat with a doll wearing Alice's white dress with a rose coming out of one eye. They were hurriedly talking about something and the one in red was sat in the window watching the scene unfold. My dad was waiting for me in the room. He grabbed my hand and promised me it would be ok. The doctor walked in and told my dad I didn't need surgery or physiotherapy but I wasn't allowed to take part in school sports or anything that could jolt my back. He explained I had an inherent weakness in my back that neither dad nor I really understood (I don't think the pain killers helped my brain fuzziness). He eventually left the room to get me some pain killers for when we left the hospital. The dolls had disappeared by this point. According to Hinaichigo the Alice game ended around two thousand and five in this universe. Three years after Jun moved out and I moved in to the house. If that was the case then why on earth were the dolls that made up Alice following me round in the hospital? Just as I started to wonder this, the visions of the hospital fell apart and I was left in a blank white space. I looked around and found Laplace's demon stood next to me.

"How are you enjoying your life flashing before your eyes my dear?" he said with an evil grin on his face

"It's confusing…"

"Well your brain has roughly seven minutes left to live so how about we sit and have some tea" as he said this he produced a delicate red metal table, some seats of a similar make as the table and a black tea set from nowhere "Darjeeling or Japanese green?". I stood in silence for a minute considering his proposal… but I didn't see any other choice so I reluctantly said

"Green please".

"Excellent choice Lilllian" he grinned more as he poured the tea into a cup

"So… are you going to explain anything or are you going to let me die confused"

"My dear if that is your dying wish I shall explain myself."

"Well I have nothing else to do until I die"

"I see" he chuckled "humans are a funny race". He places the tea in front of me and sat at the other side of the small round tea table. "After the Alice game I got rather bored. My sole purpose was to be a referee for the Alice game before that I was just a wandering demon. Father, or Rozen as you will know him, found me and made an interesting deal- If I refereed the Alice he would reward me with what I needed most. He even offered to build me some companions. It's a lonely life living as a demon with unlimited amounts of power and time on his hands and I was getting very bored of my existence." He must have known that this all sounded a bit too convenient to me. Rozen just so happened to find a bored demon at the same time as he was going to make the dolls fight in the Alice game? Too much of a coincidence. "I see you don't believe me. Let me tell you a story. Like the Rozen maidens I too once had a medium, it was how I survived as I don't have a key to wind myself up like the dolls. My last medium was a girl called Alice. She was Rozens wife and was meant to die before her twentieth birthday. I made a deal with her, I would keep her alive long enough for her and Rozen to do everything they wanted to do before she died. In return I could have her soul when she died. To a demon that's pittance, a dying woman's soul really isn't worth that much to a demon no matter what you humans seem to believe." I was becoming less convinced the more he talked "It gets better I promise. She and Rozen had a happy life together and Alice became pregnant. However because the last thing on the list of things she and Rozen wanted in life was a child she and I agreed that the deal would come to an end as soon as the child was born. As agreed I took her soul and Rozen got the child he and Alice wanted… Except he didn't, the child was a still-born. I didn't care. As far as I was concerned my job was done and I need to go on to find a new way to entertain myself. I found a new dimension to roam called the N-field, I'm sure you're familiar with the name from your talk with Hinaichigo. I roamed the world and discovered it was connected to all other dimensions, like the centre of a spider web. I found it entertaining enough and plenty of misguided creatures wandered through to become mediums for me so I had my source of power." He looked at me from behind his cup of tea, seemingly entertained by my shocked expression "Eventually as with all things I need more energy than I was getting from these creatures. That's when father found me. He had an ultimate source of energy and I had unlimited amounts of time and power. So we struck a bargain and I became the referee of the Alice game… that became my entertainment for the next few thousand years of my existence. Until as you are well aware the Alice game ended creating fathers perfect girl and ending my entertainment. So what was I to do? I was horribly bored and I had so much power and no use for it. So I decided to do what any demon would. Start the games again!" I sat there in stunned silence. Not only was he a creepy rabbit but he was a powerful demon capable of restarting the Alice game, a game that has lasted thousands and thousands of years, on a whim and enough time on his hands to create all kinds of havoc. He was as close to a god as any being could get with the mind-set of a trickster and a murderer.

And I'm stuck having a tea party with him!


	10. Chapter 10-To hospital and into darkness

-Lillian pov-

I never thought I would be spending my last moments with an omnipotent Rabbit demon having a tea party as he explains his life story… this is so weird.

"Would you like more tea?" he asked in a sickly sweet way. I nodded my head too afraid to speak. He refilled my cup with green tea and started talking again "I decided the best way to re-set the game would be to pull Alice apart piece by piece. First I had to wake her up for which I needed a human. That's where you came in. you were the right mix of miserable and lonely to want to respond to the note… with a gentle nudge from me of course." His smile grew wider as he took in my increasingly scared face "from there I left it a little while before I did my first test. I chose to use Hinaichigo first as she was one of the weakest Rozen maidens and therefore she would be the easiest to remove. My plan worked of course and I managed to pull her Rosa Mystica into the N-field without either of you noticing. I had trapped a doll named Barasuishou, Father and a doll maker called Enju in a room in father's house. At first I let them believe they were free inside the house but when I pulled Souseiseki- the blue doll- out and sent Hinaichigo to you I trapped them all into one room. At the moment they're searching through a pile of roses believing that I have left them a gift when in fact it's just a pile of roses I sent to entertain them. I've also twisted the doll Barasuishous feelings towards her maker, although her new-budding friendship with Souseiseki made it easier to manipulate her. She is now on her way towards finding the other maidens in their sleep. However she won't be able to find them as her darkness will disintegrate as long as I have her body inside here" he produced the doll in purple he was holding on the train "when you die, she will die." He threw the doll over the table and I managed to catch her before she hit the floor. Laplace's demon started to laugh uncontrollably and the tea set and furniture disappeared. He continued laughing seemingly floating in mid-air doing flips as he laughed. "Don't you see?" He continued laughing "it's so much fun! This is an endless source of entertainment! And at the same time father suffers watching his dolls hurt and die!" I looked at him unable to comprehend how cruel one being could be…

"Lillian?" I heard someone call… it was faint but me and Laplace could defiantly hear it. He panicked and went to grab the purple doll from me but it was too late. I woke up coughing and spluttering in Nori's homeroom lying on the ground. Nori was stood over me and a dark haired man with dark brown eyes was crouched next to me adjusting his glasses.

"She'll be fine sis" the man said standing up. I heard Hinaichigo run towards me making a high pitched noise which I guessed was her tearful way of saying she was worried. She hugged me around my neck crying. I felt like crying too, to have learned everything I had and then to wake up like this…

"I'm ok Hina… I'm…" I tried to move my arms and I couldn't lift them. Worse still I was getting shooting pains down my arms and back… it was pretty bad… Trying to stay calm I said "Nori, get Hina out of the room."

"Wha-?"

"Hina I know I just got back, but I need you to be a big girl and head out for a little while, ok?"

"O… ok" Hina said trying not to cry. Nori picked her up and put her in my bag. Before leaving the room Hina took one last look out of the bag before zipping herself back in. I looked to the man who had been stood quietly watching the whole fiasco. He looked down towards me.

"So you're this Lillian Nori told me about"

"You know Nori?"

"I'm her younger brother, Jun" he said stiffly

"ahhh… That explains it"

"Look… I don't know why you were at the bottom of that pond but-"

"About that… Listen. Nori should have a file in her top left draw of her desk. Give it to her and tell her that it's happening again." He pulled the file out the draw. It was a yellow paper file with my name written in red at the top, bits of important looking paper sticking out of it "oh and… did you find a doll in purple with me?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Take her with you and keep her safe at all costs. The rabbit man is after her." He grabbed the doll and walked out the room closing the door behind him. I closed my eyes and prayed that my limbs would move… slowly but surely my arms started to move a little. Nori ran in again without the bag and knelt at my side.

"Have you been keeping up with your meds?"

"Yes I have but the doctor said that they're mostly for pain relief, only one can strengthen the bones." I winced as the pain shot down my back

"What happened? Don't hold back, I need to know so I can tell any doctors or anyone about what happened?" I hesitated… but Nori needed to know

"I was pushed down a flight of stairs, managed to run to the pond, collapsed and then I fell in. Passed that I need to talk to Jun. Alice, Hinaichigo and all the dolls are in danger" Nori was shocked I could tell. She quickly regained her teacher façade and took a couple of deep breaths. Before we could continue talking the door opened abruptly and the boy that pushed me down the stairs strutted in and started yelling

"What is the hold up? I don't have all sod-" he looked and saw me lying on the floor…and then started to laugh.

"Yukio! This isn't funny! If you dare-"

"That's him" I said quietly. Nori turned her head to look at me "He pushed me down the stairs." Before anything else could happen the paramedics ran in and managed to get me onto a stretcher. By then the pain I had been trying to supress got to me and I blacked out… again.

-Barasuishou pov-

I had followed Souseisekis instructions and I had started to move my darkness around. I had managed to move enough to have bumped into another darkness, all I needed to do was get my darkness to merge… I focused myself and forced them to combine. I was able to make a pathway between them and walk through it. This darkness had vines growing everywhere… I guessed this would be Suiseisekis darkness…

I wasn't expecting to see what I saw next…


	11. Chapter 11- It just keeps getting better

-Barasuishou pov-

I walked through the pathway I had created through the two darknesses. The vines where growing and moving in odd ways. Some were wiggling upwards but others were shrinking and growing at odd rates. As I walked through the thick curtains of vines and hanging plants I found the air became thick and it was difficult to breath. Eventually I managed to get to a clearing. It was light (ironic) and images were playing on the walls. There were images of Fathers house, a blonde girl, Laplace's demon and Shinku's old medium. In the centre of the clearing was a nest made of vines, sat in the nest was a doll with her back towards me. She had long brown hair that curled at the ends… I guessed it was Suiseiseki, I didn't know anyone else who could manipulate plants and vines in such a way.

"Suise-"

"She's not here." She interrupted me. Her voice was fluctuating between the voices of the other Rozen maiden dolls. It was terrifying. "Hello…? Are you still there?"

"y- yes I am… I'm-"

"Barasuishou right? You're the one who chased me into the N-field" small amounts of what looked like colourful lightning shot around her "Don't worry. I'm not mad…" She sat there staring at the images. I was scared, I didn't know how to react. She turned her head a little so I could just about see some of her face. Her eyes were changing colours rapidly too. I just about held my nerve and looked back at her. She raised her hand and formed a seat out of vines and plants. She beckoned me saying "come, sit down, we have much to discuss… you'll be safer in here anyway."

"Safer from wha-" I heard a rumbling in the direction of my darkness, I turned my heard sharply to look but the curtains of vines stopped me from seeing what was happening. So I turned to look back at her slowly. I couldn't look her in the eye… I slowly made my way over to the chair she had made for me. I sat down and watched the images with her.

"I'm in no mood to fight anymore, I don't have the energy regardless. Although if you wanted to you could attack me first." I was shocked at her frank disregard for her own life, but I tried not to show it. I was far too aware of her powers as Alice. Before she was scared, confused and disorientated making her weaker and easier to take down. Not now. In an enclosed environment where I have never been before that she has complete control over… even if she wasn't acting in such a strange way I wouldn't be as worried or scared as I am… "You look petrified" she stated

"In all honesty I am…" I don't know why I said that, I had thought it and felt it but I didn't want to say it… she looked away from me and back up to the images on the screen

"Well I'm not the one you should be afraid of" she slowly raised her hand to point at Laplace's demon "he may be a rabbit but you don't want to get him angry... Bunny bastard" as she spoke more shakes could be heard... In the images Laplace's demon seemed to be having with the blonde girl... He was taking his time waffling... He wasn't letting the girl say anything... I think she was too scared to... I know how she feels.

"Ah. There you are." Alice pointe at a doll that Laplace had just thrown at the girl... I stood up in shock to see that it was indeed my body! More tremors erupted behind us and I felt an ache in my chest...

"Sit down Bara... You're losing a lot of energy. To survive you must sit down." I was shaking as I sat down again... What do I do? Laplace was laughing as if he had just aid the punchline of a sick joke ... When suddenly the girl and my body disappeared... The tremors stopped and the ache slowly disappeared...

"What is he going to do? What's going on?" Alice didn't respond "please! You seem to know what's happening! Tell me!" She said nothing... I started to cry... I was confused and emotional... I wouldn't believe that I was just being some pawn in whatever game he's playing... I didn't even hear what he said... Just his actions an Alice's response was enough to give away that this was his fault..."look at me... I'm crying in front of a stranger and I don't even know why... I'm pitiful really..." I felt Alice slowly wind her arms round my waist

"If anyone is pitiful it's me... you however are just exhausted" she said in a kind way.

I don't know how long we stayed like that... All I knew was that now the blonde girl had my body, which was safer than with that Rabbit but Enju and Souseiseki were still in danger... My job going round the darknesses had lead me so tantalisingly close to an answer... And instead I was left with more questions...

I wish this would make sense...

-Jun pov-

Nori and I went into hospital with Lillian. I had Barasuoshou with me and Nori had grabbed Alice's case and Hinaichigo was in the bag on Noris back. Lillian was breathing and fully alive but we didn't know how much longer she would be unconscious for... Her parents weren't at the hospital. Apparently her dad hadn't picked up the phone and her mum was in a meeting that could not be interrupted... I found it strange how a mother couldn't be interrupted when her daughter was in hospital but at least Lillian had me and Nori to look after for a while...

The hospital staff had taken her into x-rays and had told me and Nori to wait in the room they were going to take her to. Nori was explaining as best she could to Hina what had happened without upsetting her. Barasuishou and Alice weren't waking up so I thought I would take a look at Alice, see if I could give Lillian some good news for once. But as soon as I put the key into Alice I found the problem. The key wasn't hers. The key was too small for the hole in the back if the doll... I looked over to Barasuishou. The hole in her back was smaller than in Alice. I tested the key and it fit perfectly. Well, I couldn't give Lillian the news she wanted but it was as good as it was getting.

Just then the doctor came in and a nurse brought Lillian in. They said they wouldn't tell me because I didn't know her but took Nori aside for a quiet chat as she would be finding out anyway... From Noris expression I could tell it was at least positive news... She seemed relieved.

We stayed with Lillian for the rest of the day, waiting for her to wake up...

And sure enough, she did.


	12. Chapter 115- the past

-Alice's pov-

I still have those dreams. Dreams of beautiful summers and playful winters. The vivid colours would wind round me in a dance of smell, sight and sounds. The world was my play place and my family were my companions on an epic adventure! I was lucky, I was allowed to run as far and as fast as I could and my family loved me. My mother and sister would play with me as I was growing up so I was never alone even when my father had to leave us for months on end. One day my family introduced me to the youngest of the Rozen family. He was a shy boy with a mop of blond hair on his head and clear blue eyes. He would visit about once a week and he always had something to show me, whether it was a new doll or a funny plant he had found. He liked to make dolls but he wasn't very good at first. That wouldn't stop him. He continued making more elaborate designs and ways of making the dolls move. We became good friends and eventually our parents wanted us to marry each other. At first it was a strange thought. He had only ever been a friend in my mind but when I met up with him next, I realised he had always been special to me. On my fourteenth birthday he proposed and we were married within the year. We were so happy together and our parents were pleased with the union. So everyone was happy… Until the demon came to visit. He had first appeared as a doctor's assistant with black hair and small funny shape glasses. The doctor had been telling me to brace myself in case it was bad news. I had been having black outs and strange pains in my chest. Rozen had been worried sick about me so he called in his family doctor. He was right to be worried. I was told I wouldn't live past twenty… I was eighteen when he told me this. The demon offered me a deal and I took it. I was desperate. The dream ends there and I wake up in this nightmare I call my "reality".


	13. Chapter 12- a new darkness

-Lillians pov-

I woke up in a hospital room. Jun was sat next to my bed fast asleep. I looked out the window and the sun was starting to set. I started to see if I could move. Sure enough after who knows how long my limbs were starting to be able to move again. I raised my right arm and just managed to place it on the bedside table. I stretched my fingers and pressed the on button on my phone. The screen flashed up and I only had one message.

"Hi dear,

I'm going to be working late so I don't think I can pick you up, ask your father to when he's awake!

-Mum-"

I swallowed and held back my tears. I tried to move my arm back but I only managed to get it off of the table before it got stuck again.

"Your dad said it's ok for me to look after you" Juns voice came quietly "He thinks I'm a teacher of yours." I felt a tear drip down my cheek "hey, kid." I turned my head slowly and looked at him. "Listen. It's not that he doesn't care about you. Your mum got home and found all of the empty drink bottles. She yelled at him for a good while and then kicked him out. He said he had to walk here and he isn't in the greatest state to walk more than fifteen miles in one night. He said he's staying at a friend's house for the night and he will pick you up in the morning." I closed my eyes. I couldn't believe mum. If she actually cared enough then she would have realised that I actually need her… "Look" Jun said "I get right now you must be angry and upset. But she-"

"I know." I just about said through my tears "she's busy and doesn't have as much time as I'd like her to and I should be patient." I felt the anger I had hidden start bubbling up inside me, "But would it **kill **her to come and pick up her daughter from hospital?!" I shouted and somehow slammed my fist down on the edge of my phone. It flipped up in the air and then hovered. The screen lit up and Laplace's demon appeared on screen. My phone floated up in front of me and Jun.

"So. We meet again." He said smugly as he levitated my phone around me and Jun "Isn't this a touching reunion! And look Barasuishou is here too!" Jun grabbed Baras body and held it tight "don't worry, I can't get to her body from here… however you might want to get here while the rest are still alive."

"What?" Jun and I looked at each other in shock. The phone moved to a place where we could both see. On screen he held up two struggling dolls, the doll in yellow and the doll in green, by their necks.

"Jun Dessu?"

"Jun! Jun is that you maybe?"

"Jun who are they?" I said but Jun had lost all colour in his face "Jun wha-"

"Meet me in the N-field by tomorrow nightfall or all the dolls bodies… well… all Rozens horses and all Rozens men couldn't put Alice together again" he laughed and disappeared from my phone screen. The phone fell to the bed and switched off.

We stared at the phone willing it to turn on again so someone, anyone could call or text us with some kind of an explanation, something, anything would do! Instead we got…

Nothing.

-Alice's pov-

I could feel the Rosa mysticas redy to eject themselves… soon my body would have nothing left. But if what I had seen was right my body would still be used. One of the walls Bara couldn't see had the images of where the dolls bodies were being kept. There were six bodies and seven dolls. That meant that when I had one Rosa mystica left it would most likely be the bodyless doll and I would let her have this body- I don't really think I'd have a choice anyway. I let go of Bara and wiped the tears off her eyes.

"Listen… this isn't going to be easy but I need you to" I winced and I felt lightning surge around me again "I… I need you to…" I was gasping for air and I fell into Barasuishous arms "I need you… you… run… get to Suigintou or… or…" I reached up to Barasuishous face. I needed something to focus on so I could keep it together a bit longer. "Find Suigintou or Shinku. Hide in their darkness until they wake up" I could feel all my power slipping away, the vines around us died and the images on the walls faded away… "Well hurry up then" I laughed weakly crying from the pain "… go…"

-Barasuishous pov-

She fell limp in my arms and she started to glow a sickly mixture of green and yellow. I lay her down and ran. The vines were dying and falling away so I had a clear run to my darkness. I forced the two darknesses apart and moved mine away. It was only then that I realised that there was light in my darkness. Not from within, but from the outside. There were holes above, below and around me. I stumbled over a couple of large holes and managed to catch glimpses of the outside. I was somewhere in the N-field. Below me I could see a black orb with a black rose growing out of it. I assumed this was Suigintous darkness. I knew I wasn't going to be able to stay in here long. The holes were growing bigger. No matter how inhospitable Suigintou was she was my only hope of survival at the moment. So I dived through the space in between us and landed onto the orb. I banged on the top and the structure reverberated. I started losing my grip and falling.

"Sorry Suigintou" I created a glove of crystals and punched a hole in the side. The structure slowly pulled me in and I found myself looking up at Suigintous disapproving scowl. "Long time no see"

"I never realised you had such a wonderful sense of humour" she said as she picked me by the fabric round my neck. "You have five seconds to tell me why and how you got here or-"

We heard an explosion type noise from outside the orb. Suigintou knelt down and looked out the hole that was rapidly shrinking.

"What the… Suiseiseki…" She sat bolt upright "Suiseiseki and Kanarias Rosa mysticas just left the N-field"

"Then Alice has ejected their Rosa mystica like Souseiseki thought she would"

"Why is Alice doing this?"

"She's unstable and thus her body is ejecting the rosa mystica. Enju wants me to combine with Alice to make her stable and so I can make her more stable."

"You are joking right?" she looked at me with her cold red eyes. She was one of the most cunning of the sisters and she saw right through the lie Enju had given me to say… "Not even Shinku would fall for that." I paused. I looked at her and planned what I was going to say. But it was no use, my mind filled with images of Souseiseki and Alice… I started crying… I hadn't been able to help save Suiseiseki or Kanaria…

I had failed them all.


	14. Chapter 14-12 chapter-Hinaichigos dream

Half chapter- Hinaichigos dream

I'm lying on an oak floor. The walls are black the ceiling is grey, like a tiny light is coming from the top. There is a chair made of rose wood with a red velvet seat and a rose wood table with a vase of white roses in it. I lie there unable to move. I hear a gentle voice giggle in the darkness. I look at my hands and feet and I am being held down by black and green vines. I try to call for help but my voice doesn't work. I lie there unable to move, screaming in silence. I hear her giggle again. The sound of footsteps comes from behind me, the clunk of sharp heels on wood send shivers down my spine. I feel tears run down my face and a hand goes over my mouth.

"Don't worry sister dear, it will all be over soon!" Kirakishou's voice rang out behind me.

I lie there unable to move, screaming in silence, with a murderer about to kill me.


	15. Chapter 15-The finale?

-Lillian pov-

All evening Jun had been pacing up and down the room. He and Nori were talking about who should go into the N-field. Nori was inexperienced in everything to do with N-fields and Jun didn't want to put Nori in danger. She protested saying she wanted to help but Jun kept saying no. Hinaichigo was sat on my lap (the Nurses had come in and helped me to sit up) and I had been brushing her hair all afternoon. The doctor walked in and Hina froze so he would think she was a normal doll… She would have fooled me!

"I'm glad you're feeling much better. Your arms have healed up extremely quickly and I expect that your legs will follow suit, but I would like to keep you in hospital for about a week to make sure you have no nervous-system has no permanent damage. Sound good?"

"Yeah… thanks doc, I'll let Mum and Dad know."

"I'll let you get some rest" the doctor patted me on the shoulder and left the room. Hinaichigo started moving her joints and rolled her head around a bit and sighed. She kept looking over to Barasuishou as Jun called her who was sat on the windowsill, she seemed nervous and agitated. I started brushing her hair again to calm her down. I untied her big pink bow so I could brush the hair on top of her head. Alice's box was on the bottom of my bed resting on the bed covers. Jun and Nori were getting angrier and started shouting. Nori looked over to me and took Jun outside. The door closed with a clunk and the room was unnaturally silent. The only sound was the noise of me bushing Hinaichigos hair. She still kept glancing over at Barasuishou. I directed my attention to the window and watched the golden sky start turning a deep hue of imperial purple…

"Hey, Lillian… Are you afraid of anything?" I looked down at the small dolls head of golden hair now darkening in the purple sky. "I'm afraid of a lot of things… Being alone, being locked in my case… being in the dark…" I listened to the small dolls voice, I was starting to see her more as a little living girl not just a doll. "I don't want to go into my case to sleep tonight…"

"Why not?" I asked a bit confused, she had done at my house. She visibly shuddered and pulled her knees to her chest.

"I've been having nightmares about the youngest Rozen maiden… She wore Alices white dress… but she didn't have a real body… so she took mine instead…" I was stunned into silence yet again… The fact that one sister could do that to another was just scary… I suddenly realised something. I put Hinaichigo onto my pillow and started to shuffle myself towards Alices box. I opened it just enough so I could see Alice but Hinaichigo couldn't. Just as I had feared, not only had the flowers in her hair had died but her hair was no longer long and brown but it was in two silver sections with a white fringe. One eye had a rose covering it and a black cross necklace with red roses had appeared around her neck, by her side her umbrella was now a pink cane and a sword glinting in the light. I closed the lid quickly. Alice was decaying… as the Rosa mysticas were being ejected her appearance was changing too… If what Hina had told me was anything to go by I guessed the one the one that had attacked her would be the last left as she needed a body… I took a deep breath and put the box on the floor. I moved back and re-tied Hinas bow and rearranged her delicate curls on her head. Hina looked over to Barasuishou again.

"What's the story with Barasuishou?" I asked cautiously. Hina didn't reply for a while

"Before the second Alice game Barasuishou dominated the Alice game… She got to every one of us… But she was an imposter, so she crumbled and ejected the Rosa mysticas. But…" She pause again "She looks exactly like Kirakishou". We were silent for a long time.

Suddenly Barasuishou fell off the windowsill. The supposedly lifeless doll started pushing herself up. Hina stood up in a defensive position arms spread wide facing Barasuishou.

"Don't come near Lillian!" Hina yelled, small groans and clunks could be heard from the doll clad in purple. "Did you hear me Bara?!" Hina shouted. Jun and Nori burst through the door at the sound of Hina yelling.

"What's going on?" Jun said loudly

"She's alive! I don't know how but she is!"

"Look Hina, calm down! You're only running on the energy from your key"

"But Lillian-"

"I'm… not…" Barasuishou was struggling to speak but was now able to get some words out "I'm not here to hurt anyone… I…. I need Lillian… Jun… Laplace's demon… He's tricked us all!" As she said this the room dissolved and we found ourselves in an old house. The walls were covered in oak veneer and the carpets were plush and red. Any furniture in this corridor had been knocked over. Paintings were ripped and mirrors were shattered. Nori looked around in awe, shocked into silence. Jun and Hinaichigo had taken a more protective stance around me. Hina and I were on the floor and Jun was stood behind me. All I could do was look at the purple clad doll in front of me. Then the thought struck me. If I was on the floor were was Alice's box?! I looked to where I had placed the box and my doctor was stood there holding Alice's box, but instead of his normal attire he was wearing a black suit with a black hat with a grey ribbon around it.

"Oh no…" I said, Jun followed my gaze and had the same awful realisation "Hina, I think Barasuishou is on our side"

"Are you cra-" Hina had gone to turn to face me but instead came face to face with

"Laplace's demon" Barsuishou growled

"Indeed, but I do have to ask my dear Barasuishou how you survived that fall?"

"Fall?" I said confused.

"Let me explain, After our little tea party I hadn't quite managed to fully dissolve Barasuishous darkness. Instead she ended up in her sister Suigintous darkness. She and Suigintou got into a fight and nearly killed each other in their sleep. Sounds rather amusing to me if you ask me. After some pleading from Barasuishou Suigintou let up and listened to her. however before Barsuishou could explain herself, Alice Released Suigintou and Shinkus Rosa mysticas. So Barasuishou ended up falling into a void." As Laplace's demon spoke Alice's case was rattling and white vines started to come out the sides of the case… The demon kept talking but I heard none of it… Eventually the case burst open and I grabbed Hinaichigo and kept her facing me. Before me stood a tall white doll, her hair was strawberry blonde and her dress was a light butter colour. Her left eye was a bright yellow and in her right eye was a single rose with thorns growing around it. Her dress was a similar style to that of Barasuishou and her hair was nearly exactly the same. They even had roses on the same eyes, even though Barasuishous was an eye patch. The resemblance was too much for it to have been a coincidence. I held the small pink clad doll close and closed my eyes. Immediately I felt something was wrong. It was like someone had their hand around my heart and was tugging as hard as they could. Then I realised… I WAS feeling a hand round my heart. I heard a chuckling and the room went black.

Next thing I remember I was looking across the room at my own body, not a reflection, it was me. I tried to lift my hands but I heard a voice telling me to calm down, and not to move. Hinaichigo ran in and started yelling something, Kirakishou, Barauishou, a doll in black and a doll in red burst in behind her. I blacked out a lot. I guessed a fight broke out, petals feathers and roses were being used as weapons. They were… fighting a blonde man… two more like him ran in one shorter than the others… I blacked out completely…

-Barasuishou pov-

I had indeed fallen like Laplace had said. I had told Suigintou Enju's plan… he had amassed mediums from other parts of the N-field… He had found a part of father that he had tried to lock away… an alternate Father… one who hadn't lost his wife and children… one who had lived a long happy life with a large family… One who could make humans into dolls…Suigintou didn't like it… Surprisingly Alice was my saving grace. Ejecting Suigintou before she could kill me. Suigintous darkness started to dissolve with the lack of a sleeping maiden. I started to fall into the white void when I was caught by some rose vines. They pulled me up into Kirakishous darkness which was dissolving too. She held me round my waist whispering

"Let's go together" as we soared upwards into… well really I don't remember… I just remember waking up on the windowsill that didn't exist…

Now Lillian had been kidnapped by the other Father… he had taken her into a strange room and had started turning her into a doll. It was… gruesome at best… no blood but they looked exactly alike! This new doll wore a blue, pink and yellow baby-doll style dress covered in sweets and bows with Ivy lace detailing. Next to her was a large lollipop shaped hammer. The second father blocked us out the room. Well we thought it was him… at the back was a doll wearing a grey-blue dress and she had auburn coloured hair. We tried to save Lillian, we did… but we lost them. The second father and the new doll disappeared…

-To be continued in the Tears of time-


End file.
